Are You an Angel?
by Barefoot XO
Summary: What if hell was a figurative word for where Acathla was meant to draw the Earth? What if hell was a desert world in a galaxy far, far away. Can Angel protect a different Chosen One from his fate? Only time will tell. First in the Guardian Angel series.
1. Fallen Angel

_**Are You an Angel?**_

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Star Wars. They belong to Joss Whedon and George Lucas respectively. Spoilers for BtVS Season II and The Phantom Menace. Parts of the first scene are taken from Becoming: Part II.

* * *

**_Fallen Angel_**

"Close your eyes…"

Angel obediently closed his eyes, relishing the sensation as Buffy kissed his lips again. He had no idea what was going on but he thought he liked it. Then, just like that, he felt a brutal piercing sensation in his chest. His eyes snapped open to see a sword sticking out of his chest like some terrible spare limb. Buffy, meanwhile, was just staring at him and doing nothing. Why wasn't she helping him? "Buffy…?"

Angel couldn't figure out what was going on. Here he was with a sword sticking out of his chest and all Buffy could do was watch? It was then that the memories started to assail him…

Unleashing the Judge on a crowded mall… If it hadn't been for that rocket launcher, things would have gotten very messy…

Killing and turning Theresa Klusmeyer… She wasn't anyone that Angel had known well, but he recalled her being friendly with Buffy…

Attacking Xander on Valentine's Day… If it hadn't been for Drusilla going bonkers, Angel knew full well that he'd likely have killed the boy…

Killing Jenny and leaving her in Giles' bed dressed in lingerie… Angel could taste the sadistic pleasure Angelus had taken in leaving the poor woman there in a sick parody of a romantic evening…

Trying to kill Buffy while she had the flu… He might have even succeeded if Angelus hadn't feared Xander for some reason…

Opening Acathla in a psychotic attempt to destroy everything… _'Oh God, what have I done…?'_

It was at that moment that the portal grasped him and Angel felt himself depart from the dimension. _'Goodbye Buffy… I love you…'_

* * *

The cool sand beneath him soothed him somewhat, even as the sword in his chest caused him unending agony. All Angel could figure was that he was somehow transported into the middle of a desert. He didn't know or care how this had happened exactly.

All that mattered was that when the sun rose he would be dissolved into a pitiful pile of dust. Part of him felt he deserved it. Another part of him, however, spoke to him with a voice that sounded annoyingly like Xander. _'If you give in you're taking the easy way out. You are disgracing the sacrifice of Jenny Calendar and whoever was responsible for actually casting the curse that restored your soul…'_

Much though the voice annoyed him, Angel found he could not ignore it. It was right. And so Angel began to slowly and agonisingly work loose the sword from his chest. He knew he wouldn't be able to do much with it still there. He was just lucky he wasn't a normal mortal or such a wound would have been instantly fatal. That snarky, Xander-ish voice snickered at him about how ridiculous it was to consider surviving a sword through the chest to be a lucky thing. Angel had to admit he wasn't feeling so lucky.

The process of removing the sword was not easy. As wonderfully as a vampire can heal, it requires a large amount of blood. This particular item was in short supply, what with it leaking out of his massive chest wound. Regardless though, the simple act of pulling a weapon like a sword out of your body is very difficult. It's not like an arrow where you can snap one end off to make it easily removable. The only nice thing about the process was that it kept Angel from thinking too hard about the situation that had brought him to this sauna of a place.

Finally, after two full hours of difficult work, Angel had managed to remove the sword and drop it to the ground. Even as he managed, however, he noted the first glimmerings of dawn's early light trickling into the desert scenery. Angel was not a Master Vampire for nothing. He had a spectacular constitution and an indomitable will. Unfortunately, even these could not overcome a severe chest wound when he had neither blood to restore him nor time to drag himself away at the snail's pace he might have been able to achieve. Angel knew even now that it was hopeless and so he gave into his body's screaming pain and lost consciousness, figuring that he'd prefer to embrace the dawn in his sleep.

* * *

It was a complete and utter shock to Angel when he woke to find himself still alive and lying on the couch of a… hovel was the only word that seemed to describe the place. He'd seen a fair few of his fellow vamps who lived more upscale then this.

"Oh good. You're awake."

Angel looked up, only to lock eyes with what once might have been a very beautiful woman. Alas, it appeared as though many cares and hard toil had chiseled away at her beauty, leaving her a shadow of what she once must have been. "Where am I?"

The woman smiled and Angel was relieved to see some of the years and cares fade away when she smiled. "The Slaves Quarter…"

Angel's eyes bulged in shock. "Slaves. Where am I that slavery is still legal?" She seemed human, after all, and there was no sign of any demon masters. This couldn't be a hell dimension, could it?

The graying brunette sighed expressively. "Mos Espa, on Tatooine. How ever did you manage to get here if you don't know what planet you are on?"

Tatooine? Something about that tickled at Angel's memories, but he couldn't nail it down. Of greater concern was the fact that he was on another planet. This could be very bad. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you…"

The woman nodded, seeming to take him at his word. "I'm not familiar with your species. Is there anything I should know to help get you back on your feet."

It was only then that Angel noticed the bandage on his chest and, he suspected, on his back too. He could only be grateful that Buffy had missed severing his spine. It would have just sucked to have to roll around like Spike had been doing. "I'm a vampire. I need to drink blood for nourishment. It also helps my healing along."

The woman seemed to consider this. "I may be able to get some blood for you from the local medical unit. It would be expensive , though, and I'm afraid we don't have much money."

Unsure of who 'we' was, Angel decided to presume someone else was living there. "The type doesn't matter. Animal blood is fine if that's easier."

The smile returned to the woman's face. "Yes, that would be much easier. I can have Ani run to the butcher's perhaps. I need some more meat for our own supper anyway." She paused for a moment and seemed to think. "I suppose I should ask your name, sir."

Angel grinned. "It's Angel. And yours…?"

"Shmi Skywalker. I am pleased to meet you, Angel. Welcome to Tatooine."

* * *

And here we go... Happy Valentine's Day folks.

Jasper


	2. Imperfect Strangers

_**Chapter II: Imperfect Strangers**_

* * *

I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Star Wars. They belong to Joss Whedon and George Lucas respectively.

* * *

Angel sighed as he carefully placed one crate on top of another, working hard at the menial labourer job he had managed to procure. He had much to consider.

Angel was not the geek that Xander was, and he was rapidly coming to regret that in this dimension. The irony was not lost on him, but the facts remained the same. Xander would have figured out where he was far faster then Angel had. In the weeks of his recovery, Angel had finally managed to put together two important names… Tatooine and Anakin Skywalker…

Angel was not a geek, as previously stated. Nor was he a movie buff. Luckily for him, even his massive brooding had not kept him from watching the original Star Wars trilogy when it came out. Unfortunately for him it had only been the once, but Angel's memory was very good. Tatooine was the homeworld of Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Star Wars series. It was a desert world and quite frankly Angel didn't recall much more then that concerning Tatooine, though he very quickly caught on to the twin suns.

Anakin Skywalker had been a name that had puzzled Angel for a fair amount of time until he had realised that Anakin was the name of Luke's father. Angel remembered the startling revelation of Luke's paternity quite clearly and was absolutely aghast. How did such a sweet child as 'Little Ani' turn out to be Darth Vader, a monster that rivaled Angelus in his sadism?

Angel growled as he lifted another crate. Not this time. Angel was going to find a way to prevent the corruption of that sweet child if it was the last thing he did. The only problem Angel could foresee was that he knew absolutely nothing about how Anakin Skywalker had fallen to the dark side. It was never really explained in the movies. And so Angel had determined that he would simply have to stick to the boy like glue, in order to keep watch for corruption and head it off.

"Angel!" The voice echoed across the cramped storage warehouse.

Angel glanced up to find his supervisor had come in. "Yes boss?"

The green-skinned alien, Angel didn't have the guts to ask what the guy was, looked about the warehouse critically. After a moment he stopped, seemingly satisfied with his inspection. "You're done for the day. Pick up your pay on the way out. I'll see you Primeday."

Angel nodded, not arguing the two days off. The warehouse manager did not take arguments well. The previous day labourer at the place had been fired because he argued too much. It might not have been so bad if Angel hadn't known what the poor bugger had been fired out of…

Five minutes of cleaning up and Angel left the warehouse, drawing the heavy brown hood of a thick cloak over his head. It was an interesting fact that Angel did not make like a torch, despite Tatooine's two suns burning so much hotter then Earth's one could manage. Angel did not feel the need to question his good fortune though. Unfortunately that is where his good fortune ended rather abruptly. It seemed that his skin burned far more severely and quickly then any human's could under the hot suns. What's more, animal blood was cheap, but not free. The more blood he needed in order to heal his burns, the more he had to earn to cover his living expenses. Suffice it to say, honest labour did not pay well on Tatooine. Slaves were far more desirable. And so Angel wore his thick cloak in a somewhat successful attempt to lower his costs.

Fifteen minutes walk to the Skywalker residence, where Angel was living thanks to Shmi's charity, had the vampire wincing as the winds began to hint at an oncoming sandstorm. Luckily Angel was still able to make his way to his new home in time.

As he entered the hovel, Angel's nostrils flared at unfamiliar scents. "Who's there?"

A tall, bearded man, who reminded Angel vaguely of Kenobi in his demeanour, stood up to greet Angel. "I am Qui-Gon Jinn. Is this your father, Ani?"

Something about the man set the vamp's teeth on edge. "I'm not his father, no. I'm Angel."

"From Iego, right?" The response to Angel's introduction came from a teenaged girl that he'd never seen before.

Angel shot a withering glance at Anakin. "Please tell me she didn't get that from you."

Anakin blushed brightly at the implied accusation. The boy was well aware of Angel's sensitivity concerning his name and had been ever since Angel had thrashed a spacer that mocked him about it. "Sorry, Angel."

The vampire sighed theatrically. "Just don't do it again, Anakin. So what's with all the guests?"

Anakin shrugged. "They're stranded on Tatooine until they can get parts needed to fix their ship."

"Welcome home, Angel."

Angel turned to see Shmi slipping into the room. "Hello, Shmi. How was work?"

The aging woman smiled gratefully. Angel always went out of his way to avoid using the word slave in describing Shmi and Anakin. He saw how deeply it hurt them, especially Anakin, to have their lot in life thrown in their faces. "It was fine, Angel. Watto had me doing bookkeeping today."

Snap. The rather absurd looking alien snapped its tongue out, apparently looking to snag one of the fruits on Shmi's table. As the tongue drew back with its cargo Angel snatched it, pre-empting Qui-Gon. Angel glared at the alien. "Do you always just take food from someone's home without their permission?"

The alien shook his head, blushing profusely, as he released the fruit into Angel's grasp. Angel then systematically washed the fruit in the cistern and placed it back in the bowl. Anakin and Shmi had little enough as it was without a rude alien taking liberties. "So, have you had any ideas to help these folks get on their way, Anakin?"

The young slave smiled rather proudly. "I was just suggesting that they could enter my pod in the Boonta Eve Classic."

Angel felt the blood drain from his features. _Not good… Not good at all…_

* * *

And the tale begins to kick off...

Jasper


	3. The Boonta Eve Classic

**Chapter III: The Boonta Eve Classic**

* * *

_I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Star Wars. They belong to Joss Whedon and George Lucas respectively. Spoilers for The Phantom Menace._

* * *

Angel sighed in utter dissatisfaction. "I really hope you are not suggesting that you fly in the Boonta Eve Classic, Anakin."

The boy's lower lip pushed out into a stubborn pout. "If not me, than who?"

Angel gritted his teeth in frustration. The boy had an irritating point. While Angel had the reflexes to probably be a champion podracer with enough training, the fact was that he knew next to nothing about how to fly much of anything, much less a podracer. The vampire looked over the guests to try to find someone capable amongst them. The alien was right out. He was too moronic to be trusted with the pod. The droid was also out. It wouldn't be capable of operating the controls and would probably be disqualified for being a machine, anyway. The older man and the young girl were possibilities, perhaps. "Could either of you do it?"

As Anakin sputtered in protest, the girl spoke. "I'd love to, but I'm not a pilot of any sort."

Angel nodded his acceptance. He could clearly see that the girl did not like relying on a child to get her through this and was genuinely embarrassed at being put in this position by her lack of proficiency. Angel turned fully to the man. "And you?"

The man also claimed to lack the skill, though Angel suspected that the man was snowing them. The man seemed disturbingly interested in Anakin, and the lightsaber at the man's side potentially suggested an explanation. Angel strongly suspected that the man was downplaying himself either to allow Anakin the opportunity or to see what the boy could really do under pressure. Angel hated the manipulation, but couldn't really prove that it was one… Oh how he hated this situation. "Are we sure this is the only option?"

Shmi's voice was resigned as she spoke to him. "It would appear to be the only way for them to get the parts they need. Certainly we don't have the funds to help them on their way."

Angel nodded reluctantly, knowing that Shmi liked this idea even less than he did. Angel suspected that this situation was doomed to go against them. "Then I suppose Anakin will be the pilot…" he said, echoing Shmi's unspoken and reluctant consent.

Anakin's whoop of joy played bitter counterpoint to the feeling of doom blossoming in Angel's chest.

The day of the Boonta Eve Classic was a scorcher, as only Tatooine could produce. The massive crowds, the pack animals of various species and the powerful podracers produced a spectacle of sounds and smells that was overwhelming to a human. To a creature like a vampire, who possessed enhanced senses far in excess of what a human could hope to achieve, it was nothing short of excruciating.

Angel would frankly never have gotten within a mile of the place if it hadn't been for his need to offer Anakin support. It had been a trying week for Angel, attempting to explain to an emotional child that just because he was a highly skilled pilot, didn't mean that the responsible adults in his life (read: Angel and Shmi) weren't inclined to wish that someone, anyone could have taken his place in the race.

As Anakin and his pit crew of Kitster, Threepio and Artoo got the pod ready to go, Angel found himself shadowing Qui-Gon. He was soon glad he did. Watto was debating hotly with the Jedi. Apparently Qui-Gon was betting _his_ new racing pod against Anakin and Shmi. Angel appreciated the gesture, but thought that risking someone else's property without their permission, even to free them from slavery, was crossing a line. Not that Angel could protest. From what Watto knew, the pod was Qui-Gon's to bet, and any argument from Angel would be dismissed or cause the entire deal to go belly up.

It was when Watto made the claim that the pod wasn't worth two slaves and pulled out the chance cube that Angel decided he couldn't let this continue. He had no doubt the Jedi would rig things to _win_, but winning wasn't enough… freeing Anakin wasn't good enough. "No need for the cube, Watto. We have something else of value to put up."

The Jedi and the Toydarian were both shocked at being interrupted, though the Jedi hid it better. Watto snarled in Angel's direction. "You should be grateful I allow you to squat on one of my properties, Vampire. You have nothing of value to add."

Angel shook his head and steeled his nerves. "I do, actually. I have me."

Watto displayed clear shock and Qui-Gon mirrored him. "Angel, there is no need to do this. I'm sure that Watto and I can come to an equitable solution."

Angel snorted in derision. "I'm sure you can. Your equitable solution, however, would see the boy separated from his mother long before either of them is ready for it. I do not consider that remotely acceptable. My solution sees them stay together, whether they be free or enslaved." Angel turned to the blue alien. "What do you say, Watto? The pod and a new, strong slave against your two existing slaves…" Angel let the offer dangle.

Watto was clearly tempted. Anakin was a mechanical genius and Shmi an able administrator, but neither of them were very physically strong. Angel had a reputation for strength and toughness that would be a real asset in the junk shop when it came to moving heavy objects about. The Toydarian fluttered about as he considered and then finally nodded his satisfaction. "Deal. But you'd better be willing to pay up when it is done, Vampire, or Shmi Skywalker's implant will be put to use."

Angel bit back a snarl but nodded. It went unsaid that Anakin was too valuable to be blown up on a whim. Shmi though, was easily replaced. There were always more slaves on Tatooine. "You know my word is good, Watto. If you win, then I'm at your service."

The Toydarian chuckled as he left. "Yes, you will be."

The Jedi shook his head in exasperation. "You should not have placed yourself at such risk, my friend."

Angel glared at the outlander in disgust. "What I bet was mine to lose, friend. Can you honestly say the same?"

The race was a long and arduous watch for Angel. He knew that these could be his last few moments as a free being and he honestly found that he didn't care one whit. What he did care about was that Anakin's life was in mortal danger and far too few people really seemed to care about it. Padmé's admonition that Anakin 'carried all their hopes' just heaped more pressure on the poor boy to stupid things in the name of winning. Frankly Angel was starting to actively dislike every one of the strangers that Shmi had allowed into her home just a week ago.

Again and again Anakin managed to skate by with his life as the race went on. Between the Tusken Raiders and the other racers both trying to kill the boy, Angel had his heart in his throat. The final duel for first with Sebulba, at the end, was particularly harrowing. Angel had been sure Shmi was going to faint from the tension, or worse. Finally the ordeal was over and, for a miracle, Anakin had won. Anakin and Shmi were free. Angel allowed himself to smile in satisfaction, even as he braced himself for whatever was next to come. Somehow he was certain their trials had only just begun…

* * *

It always bothered me that Qui-Gon was so ready to bet possessions that were not his, without even a token permission from the owner. I don't even care if the Force told him Anakin would win.

Scenario: You're playing poker. You have a royal flush. You literally can't lose. So you bet your buddy's wedding ring without telling him. You even intend to give the winnings to your buddy. Guess what? It's still wrong. It's still a crime, if someone wants to press it. Sorry Qui-Gon, but you're not a very moral Jedi.

_Jasper_


	4. Freedom

**Chapter IV: Freedom**

_I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Star Wars. They belong to Joss Whedon and George Lucas respectively. Spoilers for The Phantom Menace._

* * *

Anakin's victory had untied one of the knots of worry that were upsetting Angel's stomach, but only one of them. He did not like the strangers and he just knew that Qui-Gon would be offering Anakin training in the Jedi arts. What was worse, there was nothing that Angel could possibly do to prevent it. Being a Jedi was Anakin's dream and no doom and gloom prophecy spilling from Angel's lips would deter the boy.

That problem was bad enough, but every sense within him was screaming that something else was coming… something dangerous. He had spotted a probe droid of some kind at the race which had taken an unnaturally strong interest in their group before flitting off. Angel had not bothered with pursuing it. Those little things were fast, and the cameras that it had for eyes would have already provided information to the machine's owner. Angel grimly flexed a fist. At least whoever had been spying on them couldn't know what he was capable of. Perhaps that would turn the tables.

Angel put those thoughts aside. Now was a time to focus on the happy things, before the inevitable other shoe dropped.

"And you have been freed." Anakin and Qui-Gon had sold the pod, and Qui-Gon had apparently decided to let the freedom tidbit dangle a bit.

Angel could practically taste the offer of training in the air and moved to head it off. "You both have."

Qui-Gon shot him a look that was filled with veiled annoyance as Anakin gasped in surprise and joy. Meanwhile, Shmi simply sat down as if exhaustion had overcome her. Anakin was young and idealistic enough that the idea of freedom was realistic to him and easily grasped. Shmi was much older than her son and had been a slave far longer. She had been a slave for most of her life, in fact. The idea that she could be freed had always been a pipe dream that she had never allowed herself to accept as even possible. Finally a soft smile crossed the woman's face, bleeding away years and cares from her as she did. "How is this possible?"

Angel offered a kind smile. "Watto should have known better than to bet against Anakin's piloting skills. He lost a lot more than a couple of employees in that race."

Shmi's face was suspicious as she stared into Angel's eyes. "What was the wager?" She seemed to know instinctively that Angel was the one who had bet for her freedom.

The vampire with a soul simply shrugged lackadaisically. "Nothing that I couldn't afford to lose."

Anakin seemed to lose interest in the conversation at Angel's dismissive comment, preferring to exult over his and his mother's newfound freedom and all of the things that he planned to do with it. Shmi, however, was mature enough to recognise the hidden truth in Angel's dismissal. She walked up to him and offered him a firm embrace, kissing his cool forehead in thanks. "You did not have to do that, Angel. You never should have done that, really. Still, I thank you for doing it anyway. You are a far greater man than I have ever known."

Angel offered a half bow. "No I'm not, Shmi. I am simply a man with red in his ledger, paying it back a little at a time. Anakin desperately needs his mother. Anything that I had to give that was enough to free you was a pitifully small price to pay."

The woman shook her head with a sad smile. "You are so humble sometimes that it is almost unsettling. What will it take for you to just accept that you did well and be happy for it?"

Angel flinched faintly. "Happiness is one thing that is forever denied me, Shmi. Trust me when I say that my happiness is more dangerous than you can possibly imagine."

Angel managed to snap himself back to the rest of what was going on and abruptly realised that Qui-Gon was offering Anakin the opportunity to become a Jedi. He barely held back a snarl of frustration. Apparently Qui-Gon had decided to use Angel and Shmi's quiet conversation as an opening. The vampire glanced at his companion and realised that she too had noticed what was going on. Her slightly sad expression all but shouted it to him, though the guests and the oblivious nine-year-old mostly missed it. Only Qui-Gon himself appeared to have noticed her expression and was offering a sympathetic look. He didn't, for one moment, look like he was going to retract his offer though.

It was of no use anyway. This was Anakin's dream that had been dangled before him. Nothing short of Anakin's death would stop him from pursuing it to the ends of the galaxy now. Angel sighed and accepted the inevitable. Still, he wasn't going to let Qui-Gon completely have his way. "Can I assume you would be willing to transport Shmi to Coruscant too, Master Jinn?"

The Jedi speared him with a cool gaze. "I'm sure you know that Jedi are not allowed attachments."

The vampire shrugged. "I know of no such thing, sir, but I'll take your word for it. Regardless, if Shmi's son leaves Tatooine, then there is nothing left for her here except hard labour and heartache. Surely her service to you kind people is worth a lift to a more civilised planet. Besides, until the Jedi accept him, Anakin remains his mother's responsibility."

The Jedi did not look happy about that, but the girl cut him off. "The queen will doubtless agree to ferry Ms. Skywalker to Coruscant, and you as well Mr. Angel. You are quite right. It is the least that we can do."

The Jedi Knight offered a betrayed look to the handmaiden. "And you presume to speak for your queen?"

The girl jutted her chin out defiantly. "In this I can speak with confidence. The queen has a long history of humanitarian works. She will certainly offer humanitarian aid to those who have extended her and her people the same."

The bearded man subsided in the face of the girl's confidence, nodding to acknowledge her point. While he obviously wanted to separate Anakin from the boy's erstwhile guardians quickly, it seemed that even he acknowledged that leaving the people who helped you to their fate was just plain rude. Angel tried not to smirk at him too much.

* * *

For the record, I am not bashing Qui-Gon. I am merely offering a rather uncharitable view of what is, for the most part, his actual canon behaviour. Even his attempts to separate Anakin from his guardians are perfectly in line with standard Jedi practice (though usually at a younger age).

Jasper


	5. Angel and Demon

_I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Star Wars. They belong to Joss Whedon and George Lucas respectively. Spoilers for The Phantom Menace._

* * *

**Angel and Demon**

The journey from Shmi's former home to the outskirts of Mos Espa had been a long and circuitous one. They had, for example, to stop in at Watto's shop and arrange for Anakin and Shmi's explosive implants to be shut down. Qui-Gon, showing a bit more class in Angel's opinion, said that he would have their implants surgically removed once they had reached Coruscant. Watto was angry with Qui-Gon and Angel, but had reluctantly paid his debts. The Toydarian junker was going to suffer through hard times after all of his failed betting.

Angel could clearly make out the sleek, silver vessel in the distance. It was very shiny and pretty but, like so many other things about this situation, it filled Angel with a deep sense of foreboding. And speaking of foreboding… The sense Angel was experiencing, that the other shoe was going to drop had solidified into a rapidly increasing sense of threat. In fact, the threat was now morphing into a clear and present danger to him and his companions. The demon within him was practically baring its fangs as like recognised like. A dark and evil presence was rapidly closing… too rapidly… "Run."

The group he was walking with, including Anakin, Shmi and the strangers, all looked at him with incredulity. Qui-Gon in particular seemed thrown by Angel's sudden comment. "Mr. Angel, what are you talking…?"

Angel cut off the Jedi, ignoring the man entirely. His whole focus was on Shmi. "Take your son and run. Someone is coming…"

The Jedi, the alien and the girl all wanted to know more details about this _someone_. Shmi knew Angel well enough to take his word on faith. She grasped her sons arm and fled toward the ship as quickly as Anakin could keep pace. The alien, a coward by nature, fled too. The girl caught sight of a black pinprick in the distance, closing rapidly, and made her choice to run. She exhorted her droid to follow her, which it did.

The Jedi stayed behind, staring into Angel's eyes searchingly. "What do you know?"

Angel snarled from beneath his thick hood. "Next to nothing. Just enough to know it's bad."

Jedi and vampire did not have long to wait. The rapidly closing individual was upon them in an instant. Angel found he was instantly dismissed from consideration as the foul creature focused all of its attention on Qui-Gon.

The demon, for that was what it seemed, fascinated Angel. Where many of the aliens he had seen had resembled demon species from his own world, this being was the first being that had truly felt evil in every way. It wore darkness like a cloak, in a way that went much deeper then wardrobe. The red lightsaber was what gave Angel some pause. He had only seen one in his life… Darth Vader's… That did not bode well.

Angel allowed Qui-Gon and the demon to fight it out. This was not because he had no desire to help, but rather because he was trying to work out how it was best to do so. His knowledge of Star Wars was fairly old and half-forgotten, but he did remember that lightsabers could lop off limbs with a frighteningly casual ease. That meant he had to be careful. Luckily the Jedi and his opponent appeared to be moving at speeds that were within Angel's ability to reach. It was just a matter of waiting for an opportune moment.

Angel's moment came when the silver ship finally started lifting off of the ground. Qui-Gon manoeuvred himself to a spot between the demon and the ship and the demon made a fatal error. He turned his back to Angel, granting an opening. Angel went into gameface and charged at vampire speed into the fray, slashing viciously at the demon's hamstrings.

The demon, having dismissed Angel from consideration, only barely managed to avoid being crippled, desperately leaping away from Qui-Gon and Angel. The demon fired an ugly look in Angel's direction, limping slightly as blood ran down one of his legs. Angelus crowed from inside Angel, happy to have taken first blood. And then a second blade extended from the lightsaber's other side. Angel shuddered. Darth Vader's lightsaber had never been able to do that.

Luckily, the silver ship was flitting into the area. Qui-Gon and Angel, using the Force and vampire strength respectively, took the opportunity presented and leapt aboard, leaving the raging demon behind.

As Angel walked unsteadily up the gangplank, he was unsurprised to see Qui-Gon collapse upon the floor in exhaustion. It was nice to know that the Force could only boost a man so much. The lightsabers were a real problem, though. He frowned. He would have to look into a way to combat them on an even level.

Angel managed to refocus just soon enough to hear Qui-Gon introduce Anakin to another young man… Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now wasn't _that _an interesting turn of events. "Funny, you look more like a Ben to me…"

Young Kenobi turned to match gazes with the vampire with a soul. "I thank you for helping my master, Sir, but I can assure you that my name is Obi-Wan."

Angel nodded agreeably. "Of course, Obi-Wan. My name is Angel. And no…" he said, shooting a chastising glance in Anakin's direction, "I am not from Iego."

Anakin had the good grace to look embarrassed. "I never mentioned that to him, you know."

Angel smiled indulgently. "I know, Anakin, I'm just reminding you."

* * *

Darth Maul bowed before the image of his master, the flaring pain from the cut into one of his legs burning slightly to remind him of his failure. "The Queen and her party have escaped, my Master."

Darth Sidious stared fixedly at Maul from beneath his hood. "How came you to fail in your task, Lord Maul? Were the Jedi more than you could overcome alone?"

The stinging insult riled the Zabrak Sith, but he kept his temper firmly in line. Lord Sidious did not tolerate backtalk. "No, My Lord, I am certain that I could have overcome the Jedi had he been alone." This was patently false as far as mission success went. The Jedi had managed to keep him busy long enough for the ship to escape. He felt he could have killed the old Jedi, but he knew that the Queen would have still escaped him regardless.

Lord Sidious apparently did not notice this apparent shading of the truth, instead focusing where Maul was attempting to direct him. "And who interfered in your battle that managed to foil _and_ _wound _a Sith Lord?"

Maul winced at the comment, but could not deny the fact. "That is why it has taken me so long to get back to you, Master. I have been searching for that information. I believe the being to be a common labourer known as Angel. He appears to be human, but this is a disguise. His employer did not know his actual race. I can tell you that he is strong in the Dark Side. I could sense it strongly. It is why I made the mistake of presenting him my back." The confession was like ashes in his throat, but he had to be honest with his master. Sidious would know if it were otherwise, he was sure.

Darth Sidious shook his head in faint disgust. "You should know better then to present your back to anyone, Lord Maul, least of all a fellow servant of the Dark Side. We will discuss this more later. For now, make for Naboo. I sense that I will have need of you there, before the end of this."

"It shall be as you bid, my Master."

* * *

Jasper


End file.
